Written Answers Nos. 1-27
9. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the letter from the European Commission which queried the new framework under which Leader projects are being implemented. [18580/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department received a communication from the European Commission on 28 April 2015 via the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, who are the Managing Authority for the Rural Development Programme.
In the context of the LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme 2014–2020, the European Commission sought to clarify a number of issues in relation to the selection process for LEADER Local Development Strategies in Ireland. This included clarification as to whether the selection process underway in Ireland was open to any interested entity submitting an expression of interest to be a Local Action Group under the new programme. A response has now issued to the Commission clarifying matters which were raised in their correspondence.
I can assure the Deputy that the selection process which is underway for LEADER Local Development Strategies in Ireland is an open process and all interested entities were invited to submit an expression of interest to be a Local Action Group if they so wished. I should say for the purposes of the new LEADER programme, there are 28 sub-regional areas in Ireland and on the closing date for submission of expressions of interest, 45 separate expressions of interest were received. A single expression of interest has been received in 19 of the 28 areas and at least 2 expressions of interest have been received in the remaining 9 areas.
I expect that all the expressions of interest will be presented to an Independent Evaluation Committee for assessment and decision by late June. On foot of this, preparatory support will be made available to all eligible Local Action Groups selected by the Committee. The Groups will then be provided with a minimum of 6 months to develop their strategies. The Independent Evaluation Committee will also assess and make the final decisions in relation to the quality of each local development strategy submitted in due course and where multiple strategies are submitted, it will be a matter for the Evaluation Committee to a make a decision on which local development strategy best meets the needs of the community.
11. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on what has been done to date to address the housing shortage in Dublin; if he will provide an update on what will be done going forward to address the crisis within housing and the shortage of housing stocks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22319/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the Government published Construction 2020: A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sector in May 2014 aimed at addressing issues in the property and construction sectors and ensuring that any critical bottlenecks that might impede the sector in meeting residential and non-residential demand are addressed.
The Dublin Housing Supply Co-ordination Task Force, established under the Strategy, has reported that there are currently sufficient planning permissions, with no insurmountable infrastructural deficits, to deliver circa 21,000 housing units across the four Dublin local authority areas, while a further 25,000 new homes are considered permissible on existing lands zoned for residential use if landowners and developers wished to seek those permissions.
We are already beginning to see some welcome and positive signs of recovery in the sector. Particularly notable in this regard is the increase in the number of house completions in 2014 to 11,016 units nationally – an increase of 33% on the 2013 figure. The greater Dublin area accounted for the bulk of that growth, with 4,427 units completed. In Quarter 1 2015, a total of 652 units were completed in the four Dublin local authority areas, an increase of 28% on the same period in 2014.
A range of measures are being taken to support increased housing delivery. In particular, the Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015 which was published last week, provides for changes in development contributions and in relation to Part V. In addition, the Bill provides for the introduction of a vacant site levy.
With regard to social housing provision, the Social Housing Strategy sets out ambitious targets for delivery to 2020, with delivery in the Dublin area being driven by a dedicated Dublin Social Housing Delivery Taskforce. On 1 April, Minister Kelly and I announced provisional funding allocations totalling €1.5 billion for all local authorities, to meet an ambitious delivery target of 22,883 social housing units out to 2017. Within this, the combined funding total for the Dublin local authorities comes to over €500 million. As part of the delivery under this €500m programme for Dublin, €117m was allocated to the four Dublin local authorities on 5 May in respect of 19 build projects, which will see the development of 566 new units of accommodation. I expect further approvals to be announced in the coming months.
In addition, nearly €6m has been allocated to the 4 Dublin local authorities to bring 345 properties back into use this year and over €15m has been provided for Dublin across a range of other housing schemes, including works to improve housing for people with disabilities, as well as retrofitting homes to improve energy efficiency.
13. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of extra costs being imposed on the owners of self-built homes as a consequence of the building regulations that came into effect in 2014. [22064/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe key impact on costs associated with SI No. 9 of 2014 lies in the requirement for the appointment of an Assigned Certifier whose role, in conjunction with the builder and the project team, is to draw up and execute an appropriate inspection plan and to certify the building on completion. While fees for professional services are determined by market forces and are therefore outside the scope of my regulatory powers, my Department has recently prepared a Sample Preliminary Inspection Plan for a Single Unit Dwelling on a Single Development which has been subject to a recent public consultation exercise undertaken as part of a general review of SI No. 9 of 2014 during its first twelve months in operation. A copy of this plan and all other documents released as part of the public consultation process are available on my Department's website at http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/BuildingStandards/PublicConsultations/
Cost calculations published to accompany the Sample Preliminary Inspection Plan demonstrate that the new Assigned Certifier role can be achieved at an approximate cost of €3,800 incl. VAT. Where additional design work is required the combined cost of Assigned Certifier duties and additional design work will be of the order of €6,000 incl. VAT.
The arrangements in respect of self-built, one-off houses form an essential element of a full review of the broader operation of S.I. No. 9 of 2014. Some 170 submissions have been received during the public consultation stage of this review process which concluded on 15 May 2015. These submissions are currently being considered and my Department will produce a report on the matter by end June 2015 with a view to ensuring that any measures required can be put in place as a matter of priority.
14. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the obligations that are set out in respect of a housing authority where there is a refusal to provide emergency accommodation for families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22316/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Housing Act 1988, it is a matter for the housing authority concerned to determine whether a person is regarded as homeless. Any person regarded as homeless by a housing authority may be placed into temporary emergency accommodation, which the housing authority may arrange itself or which may be operated by a State-funded service provider, without the requirement to undergo a social housing assessment and be approved for social housing supports.
I am not considering any amendment to the existing arrangements. I believe that they give housing authorities the flexibility that is essential to respond quickly and effectively to the various needs of cases that may present to them. I am satisfied that local authorities make every reasonable effort to address the accommodation needs of those individuals and families presenting as homeless, supported by significant resources provided by my Department. In that regard, some €55.5m is being provided for homelessness services this year, some €10.5m more than the initial allocation in 2014.
Addressing issues in relation to homelessness will continue to be a top priority for me and my Department, working with local authorities and service providers.
15. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government how the social housing targets for 2015-2017 are to be met; in particular, how many of these new social housing units will be new builds and how many will be leased from the private rental market; and his views on whether the funding being made available to local authorities will be adequate to meet these targets. [22326/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe social housing targets that I announced for all local authorities out to 2017 include almost 7,500 units that will be capital-funded and 15,400 current-funded units, of which 11,400 will be delivered through leasing and 4,000 delivered through the Rental Accommodation Scheme.
Local authorities are responsible for the detailed planning of social housing provision based on the needs of their areas. It is a matter for each local authority to identify the appropriate initiatives to respond to their housing need, including consideration by them of options to acquire available properties, new building developments, leasing and the provision of housing supports through the private rental sector. A breakdown has been provided to local authorities in relation to their targets as between capital-funded and current-funded units.
The estimated cost to the Exchequer for the delivery of the additional 35,000 new units to be delivered under the Social Housing Strategy to 2020 is €3.8 billion. The funding provided through Budget 2015 will provide the required kick start to the delivery of the targets in the Strategy and I am confident that my announcement of over €1.5 billion for the delivery of the targets out to 2017 will meet the full delivery cost of these units.
16. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total spend under the RAPID programme this year by his Department; the purposes of this spend; if he has met the chairs and co-ordinators of the RAPID groups together in the past year; if he has, the number of times and the dates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22063/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe RAPID programme aims to ensure that priority attention is given to tackling the spatial concentration of poverty and social exclusion in areas covered by the programme.
Over the past number of years, my Department has continued to meet its existing contractual commitments on RAPID projects throughout the country. There is now just one remaining measure under the RAPID programme, which accounts for unpaid commitments, namely the sports capital top-ups. In 2015, I allocated funding of €500,000 for sports capital projects under the programme and these are being jointly funded with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. Drawdown to date has been €52,000 with further drawdowns anticipated over the remainder of the year.
The RAPID programme has made substantial progress in identifying the needs of disadvantaged communities and in bringing forward important local projects in response to those needs.
While I have not met the Chair or Coordinators of the RAPID Groups in the last year specifically on RAPID issues, as part of my continuing engagement with both the local development and local government sectors, I have met with many of the Chairs and Co-ordinators on a wide range of community issues at different times over the last year at various fora and events.
17. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the action that is being taken to address the concerning issue of lead in the water supply; if grant assistance will be provided to those home owners affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22065/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the European Union (Drinking Water) Regulations 2014, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas library, suppliers of drinking water are required to ensure that the water supplied complies with the chemical and microbiological parameters set out in the Regulations. Details of monitoring requirements along with the procedures to be followed and the roles of water suppliers, the EPA and the HSE, where there is non-compliance with the parametric values set out in the Schedules to the Regulations, are clearly laid out in the Regulations.
The Water Services Act 2007 provides that the owner of a premises is responsible for the maintenance and renewal of the internal water distribution system. Responsibility for replacing lead pipes from the main stopcock to the house and within the house therefore rests with the homeowner. In a joint position paper on lead published by the EPA and HSE in 2013, it is recommended that all lead pipes and plumbing in public and private ownership should be replaced over time.
Earlier this week the Government approved a National Strategy to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. The Strategy was prepared by my Department in consultation with the Department of Health, Irish Water, the HSE and the EPA, in order to map the scale of the problem and identify measures to mitigate any risks to human health posed by lead in drinking water. As part of the Strategy I will be establishing a new grant scheme to assist low income households to replace lead pipes in their home. The scheme will be administered by local authorities and in line with Drinking Water regulations, the available resources will be prioritised to areas of highest risk. Funding for this measure in 2016 will be finalised in the context of Budget 2016.
18. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of funding that has been released to local authorities from the announced housing allocation for 2015, in total and in each of the following categories - for construction, long-term lease, housing assistance payment, and rental accommodation scheme; the number of units that are expected to be available in each of the coming five years in each local authority in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22314/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraTotal expenditure to date for 2015 across the full range of housing programmes, both capital and current, is almost €110 million. Specifically, there has been expenditure of almost €3.4 million under the local authority construction and acquisition programme, €6.35 million under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (previously referred to as the Social Housing Leasing Initiative), €44.35 million under the Rental Accommodation Scheme and €2.3 million under the housing assistance programme.
It is expected that expenditure will accelerate significantly as the capital programmes come on stream following recent announcements on capital allocations.
The Social Housing Strategy 2020, published in November 2014, sets out clear, measurable actions and targets to increase the supply of social housing, reform delivery arrangements and meet the housing needs of all households on the housing list. The Strategy will support an additional 35,000 new units to be delivered by local authorities and approved housing bodies at an estimated cost of €3.8bn.
Ambitious targets have been set for local authorities to 2017, with the announcement on 1 April 2015 of over €1.5 billion to be invested in a combination of building, purchase and leasing schemes, to accommodate 25% of those currently on social housing waiting lists.
Together with Minister of State Coffey, I approved €312 million on 5 May for the first phase of a direct build local authority construction programme, which will result in an additional 1,700 social housing units by 2017. Details are available on my Department's website at the following links:
http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41016,en.htm
http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41340,en.htm
19. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has specified the way Leader funding should be spent by local authorities; and if he has provided priority to rural areas. [18583/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme 2014–2020, will provide €250 million in financial resources to support the development of sustainable rural communities.
Ireland is reconfiguring the way in which local and rural development interventions are implemented. This is in line with Government policy to ensure that local government is well positioned to support the effective and efficient delivery of local and rural development. In this context, €220 million of the overall programme complement for the 2014-2020 period has been allocated based on administrative or county boundaries to 28 sub-regional areas.
The LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme will be delivered using a community led local development approach by Local Action Groups operating within the framework of a Local Development Strategy. Each Local Action Group will be made up of representatives from all relevant socio-economic partners in their sub-regional area. These groups will have decision making responsibility in relation to what projects will receive funding within the framework of actions outlined in their Local Development Strategy.
Due to their critical role in the management and development of sub-regional areas, local authorities, with local agreement, may form part of the membership of a Local Action Group and in some instances, may provide support for the management and administration of the LEADER elements of the pro gramme at a local level. It should be noted, however, that all decisions regarding the allocation of LEADER funding will be made by the Local Action Group as a whole and not the local authority.
I can advise the Deputy that my Department will be providing guidance to all Local Action Groups in the context of the delivery of the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme in the form of a set of operating rules in order to ensure that all expenditure is compliant with relevant regulations. My Department will not, however, be prescribing what interventions should be supported in a given sub-regional area. Such decisions will be a matter for each Local Action Group and will be made by groups in the context of their Local Development Strategy.
20. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to extend the executive order to provide 50% of all social housing allocations in Dublin to those who were on a priority list on 1 December 2014 in the Dublin region past June 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22068/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder a Ministerial Direction, which issued on 27 January and is time bound for a six-month period until 27 July 2015, key local authorities are required to prioritise homeless and other vulnerable households in the allocation of tenancies under their control in accordance with Section 22 of the Housing Act 1988. The four Dublin local authorities have been directed to allocate 50% of all available dwellings to this cohort while the local authorities in counties Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford have been directed to allocate 30%. It is expected that during the timeframe at least 500 homes will be provided to prioritised households in the Dublin Region with a similar total for the other areas combined. The operation of the Direction is kept under ongoing review and I will decide, in due course, on the question of extending the Direction's operation beyond 27 July.
21. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the Government's plans to deal with the spiralling cost of rents in the private rental sector around the country. [22329/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe recently published Daft.ie Rental Report for Quarter 1 2015 reported that year-on-year inflation in rents continued to ease slightly in the first three months of 2015. It reported that rents nationally were 8.2% higher than in the first quarter of 2014, down from the 10.4% annual increase recorded in mid-2014. While the report recorded a slow-down in rent inflation in Dublin, this was offset by an increase in the surrounding counties.
These trends are broadly in line with the most recent data from the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) whose rent index is based on actual rents paid as opposed to the asking price. The PRTB data shows that in the fourth quarter of 2014, rents were 5.8% higher nationally than in the same quarter of 2013. Dublin, however, was seeing the highest rates of increase nationally with rents there higher by 9.6% over the same period, although the rate of annual increase was down slightly.
A shortage of supply is at the heart of rising rents and the Government is addressing this on a number of fronts. Construction 2020: A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sector, published last year, is aimed at addressing issues in the property and construction sectors and ensuring that any bottlenecks that might impede the sector in meeting residential and non-residential demand are addressed. Construction 2020 also commits to identifying and implementing further improvements to the planning system to facilitate appropriate development.
Addressing the supply shortfall in housing will take time but in the period since the publication of Construction 2020, some welcome signs of recovery in the sector have become evident. Particularly notable in this regard is the increase in the number of house completions in 2014 to 11,016 units nationally – an increase of 33% on the 2013 figure. The latest figures for new house completions show that 2,629 units were completed in the first three months of 2015, up 26% on the corresponding figure for the first quarter 2014.
Social housing is a key priority for the Government, evidenced by the additional €2.2 billion in funding announced for social housing in Budget 2015 and the publication of the Social Housing Strategy 2020 in November 2014. The total targeted provision under the Social Housing Strategy 2020 of 110,000 social housing units includes the delivery of 35,000 new social housing units through Pillar 1. The private rental sector, through Pillar 2 of the strategy, will accommodate up to 75,000 eligible low-income households primarily through the new Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme. Social housing targets have been set for each local authority out to 2017 and are available on my Department's website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41016,en.htm
The National Economic and Social Council (NESC) report Ireland's Rental Sector: Pathways to Secure Occupancy and Affordable Supply, which was published last month, is a welcome and timely contribution to the debate around the rental sector. The report calls for more secure occupancy for tenants, including greater rent certainty as well as measures to increase the supply of rental housing. The recommendations put forward in this report will be considered carefully in the context of framing any measures in relation to the rental market. My overriding objective in relation to rents is to achieve stability and sustainability in the market for the benefit of tenants, landlords and society as a whole.
22. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the new tenant purchase scheme which was legislated for in 2014 will come into effect. [22071/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraPart 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 provides for a new tenant purchase scheme for the purchase of existing local authority houses along incremental purchase lines. The scheme is an important part of the Government's strategy to promote sustainable communities by enabling local authority tenants to purchase their homes.
The Government's Social Housing Strategy 2020 includes a commitment to make the Regulations necessary for the scheme's introduction, in the second quarter of 2015, which will set out the full details involved. It is expected that the new scheme will commence at the earliest possible date following the making of the Regulations which are at an advanced stage of drafting.
The 1995 Tenant Purchase Scheme for existing local authority houses and the 2011 Fixed-Term Tenant Purchase Scheme for long-standing tenants closed in June 2014 and June 2013, respectively. There are incremental purchase schemes currently in operation for the sale of newly built local authority houses and existing local authority apartments, which came into operation in June 2010 and January 2012, respectively.
The new scheme will operate along the lines of the incremental purchase model currently operating for local authority apartments and certain new local authority houses, which involve discounts for purchasers linked to household income. The discount will be applied to the purchase price of the house to be determined by the local authority in accordance with the method to be prescribed in Regulations. I intend to relate the purchase price of the house to its market value, with replacement costs also being taken into account.
Full details of the scheme, including the income related discounts available to tenant purchasers, will be set out in Regulations that I will make in advance of its introduction.
23. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on any meetings he had with his Department's officials and Irish Water on prospective legislation on water services. [22332/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThree separate pieces of legislation have been formulated to support the water sector reform programme, since 2013. There has been varying levels of engagement with stakeholders during this process, with a specific legal and legislative work-stream established as part of the implementation strategy published in 2012. This work-stream fed into the development of the two Acts during 2013. This engagement was at official level.
In the context of developing the package of measures on a revised approach to water charges in November 2014, I met with Irish Water officials on a number of occasions on the overall package, which involved both legal and policy issues. The Water Services Act 2014 reflects the majority of the elements of the package agreed by Government in 2014. Further legislative measures to underpin compliance with water charges will be brought forward shortly. Discussions on these matters with Irish Water have been at official level.
24. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views in relation to the reduced funding available to Leader groups for distribution to community organisations in order to develop local public amenities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18123/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020, will provide €250 million in financial resources to rural communities over the next 5 - 6 years, for a range of rural activities, including the development of local public amenities.
While the LEADER allocation for the 2014-2020 Programme is less than the value of the LEADER element of 2007 – 2013 Programme, I am confident that within the confines of the fiscal environment we have experienced in the recent past, the Government has allocated the maximum amount possible to support the LEADER elements of the 2014-2020 programme.
The €250 million funding available, coupled with the Government's drive to increase coordination at a local level and the commitment to the delivery of the recommendations in the Report of the Commission on the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA), will ensure that the impact of the available funding will be maximised to support the sustainable development of our rural communities.
25. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is satisfied that the plan for 19 new social housing units to be built in County Wexford over the next three years is adequate to meet the county's current housing needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22073/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe announcement I made on 5 May 2015 in respect of a major Social Housing construction programme with €312m investment, comprising over 100 projects and 1,700 housing units, included two new build projects in County Wexford. I stated at the time that this announcement was part of the first phase of direct-build projects under the Government's Social Housing Strategy and that further assessments are being carried which will result in the approval of additional projects, details of which will be announced in due course.
It should also be borne in mind that the local authority building programme is just one of a range of mechanisms through which social housing need is to be met. On 1 April 2015, I announced targets for all local authorities to 2017, under which Wexford County Council has a target of 677 units, supported by € 25.4 m of investment.
26. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the technical report prepared by his Department in relation to the tests carried out on the concrete blocks which are affected by mica in County Donegal; if he has made a decision on how his Department will assist affected home owners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22325/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn general, building defects are matters for resolution between the relevant contracting parties, i.e. the homeowner, the builder, the materials supplier and/or their respective insurers, and I firmly believe that the parties responsible for poor workmanship and/or the supply of defective materials should face up to their responsibilities and take appropriate actions to provide remedies for the affected homeowners.
In the event that the contracting parties cannot reach a settlement by negotiation, the option of seeking redress in the Courts can be considered. In this context, my Department understands that legal proceedings have been instigated in some of the cases relating to this problem.
I fully appreciate and acknowledge the extremely difficult and distressing situations that certain homeowners in Donegal are facing on account of damage to the structural integrity of their homes and, consequently, my Department met with a number of the affected homeowners in early December 2014.
At that meeting, my Department requested copies of test reports from accredited laboratories on the affected concrete blocks, which had been commissioned by a number of homeowners, in order to provide a robust and scientific insight into the problems that have emerged.
Following my visit earlier this year to a number of the affected homes, copies of the requested test reports were provided to my Department and have now been reviewed. A technical report has been prepared and is currently under consideration.
27. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the reported increase in family homelessness in the Dublin area; the measures his Department has taken to tackle it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22335/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government's Homelessness Policy Statement, which was published in February 2013, outlines the Government's aim to end long-term homelessness by the end of 2016. A range of measures are being taken to secure a ring-fenced supply of accommodation to house homeless households and mobilise the necessary supports in order to deliver on the Government's target of ending involuntary long-term homelessness. These measures have been identified in the Government's Implementation Plan on the State's Response to Homelessness (May 2014) and in the Action Plan to Address Homelessness (December 2014). Progress in implementing these plans is reported through the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and Public Service Reform. The plans and progress reports are available on my Department's website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/SpecialNeeds/HomelessPeople/
